Shoe sole with air cushion

ABSTRACT

A shoe sole air cushion includes a hollow main body defining an air chamber. The main body includes bottom and top walls, and a peripheral wall connected between the bottom and top walls. The bottom wall includes a plurality of lower pins projecting upwardly from an inner surface of the bottom wall. The top wall includes a plurality of upper pins projecting downwardly from an inner surface of the top wall. The upper and lower pins respectively have tapered ends. The tapered ends of the upper pins are connected respectively to the tapered ends of the lower pins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a shoe sole, more particularly to a shoe solewith an air cushion having top and bottom wall faces which can bemaintained in flat and even states after inflation.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional shoe sole air cushion 10 isdisposed in a cavity 21 of a shoe sole 20. The air cushion 10 has ahollow main body 11 which includes a bottom wall 111, a top wall 112, aperipheral wall 113 interconnecting the top and bottom walls 112, 111,and an opening 114 formed in the peripheral wall 113.

Each of the top and bottom walls 112, 111 has a plurality of depressions116. A plurality of inflated portions 117 are confined by the top,bottom and peripheral walls 112, 111, 113. The top wall 112 is sealed tothe bottom wall 111 at the depressions 116.

During production, the top, bottom and peripheral walls 112, 111, 113are first preformed, after which air is introduced into the main body 11through the opening 114 so as to fill up the inflated portions 117 withair. The opening 114 is then sealed and trimmed, thereby completing theformation of the air cushion 10. Due to pressure of the air inside theinflated portions 117, the top, bottom and peripheral walls 112, 111,113 expand around the main body 11, and an outer face of the top wall112 is caused to be formed with a plurality of protrusions 118. Duringuse of the conventional air cushion 10, since the protrusions 118 andthe depressions 116 are not formed uniformly on the top wall 112, thepressures on the sole of the wearer are uneven, which may result ininjury and discomfort. Furthermore, the conventional air cushion 10 hasinsufficient shock absorbing properties because of the presence of thedepressions 116 and because resiliency is provided only by the inflatedportions 117.

FIG. 3 illustrates another conventional air cushion 10′, wherein theinflated portions 117′ and the depressions 116′ are formed moreuniformly than those of the aforementioned air cushion 10. However,since the depressions 116′ occupy a substantially large area, and sincethe area of each inflated portion 117′ which contacts the wearer's footis relatively small, the pressure exerted on the foot by the inflatedportions 117′ can be large and can cause discomfort to the foot.Furthermore, the conventional air cushion 10′ similarly has insufficientshock absorbing properties due to the presence of the depressions 116′.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a shoe solewith an air cushion that is capable of overcoming the aforementioneddrawbacks of the prior art.

According to one aspect of this invention, a shoe sole air cushioncomprises a hollow main body defining an air chamber. The main bodyincludes bottom and top walls, and a peripheral wall connected betweenthe bottom and top walls. The bottom wall includes a plurality of lowerpins projecting upwardly from an inner surface of the bottom wall. Thetop wall includes a plurality of upper pins projecting downwardly froman inner surface of the top wall. The upper and lower pins respectivelyhave tapered ends. The tapered ends of the upper pins are connectedrespectively to the tapered ends of the lower pins.

According to another aspect of this invention, a shoe sole comprises asole unit having a cavity, and an air cushion disposed in the cavity.The air cushion includes a hollow main body defining an air chamber andhaving bottom and top walls, and a peripheral wall connected between thebottom and top walls. The bottom wall includes a plurality of lower pinsprojecting upwardly from an inner surface of the bottom wall. The topwall includes a plurality of upper pins projecting downwardly from aninner surface of the top wall. The upper and lower pins respectivelyhave tapered ends. The tapered ends of the upper pins are connectedrespectively to the tapered ends of the lower pins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional shoe sole;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the shoe sole of FIG. 1 in anassembled state;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional air cushion;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodimentof a shoe sole according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partly sectional view of an air cushion of the firstpreferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodimentin an assembled state;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of an upper pin and alower pin of the first preferred embodiment, and the interconnectiontherebetween by a neck section;

FIG. 8 is a partly sectional view of the first preferred embodiment in astate of use;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of anair cushion of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a shoe that incorporates the aircushion of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it shouldbe noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numeralsthroughout the disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, the first preferred embodiment of a shoe sole30 according to the present invention is shown to comprise a sole unithaving a cavity 31, and an air cushion 40 disposed in the cavity 31.

The air cushion 40 includes a hollow main body 41 which has a bottomwall 42, a top wall 43, a peripheral wall 44 connected between thebottom and top walls 42, 43, and an opening 45 formed in the peripheralwall 44. The bottom, top and peripheral walls 42,43, 44 cooperate todefine an air chamber 47.

The bottom wall 42 includes a plurality of rows of hollow tapered lowerpins 421 projecting upwardly from an inner surface of the bottom wall42, and a plurality of holes 422 extending respectively into the lowerpins 421 from an outer surface of the bottom wall 42. The lower pins 421in each row are staggered with respect to the lower pins 421 in theadjacent rows.

The top wall 43 includes a plurality of rows of hollow tapered upperpins 431 projecting downwardly from an inner surface of the top wall 43,and a plurality of holes 432 extending respectively into the upper pins431 from an outer surface of the top wall 43. The upper pins 431 in eachrow are staggered with respect to the upper pins 431 in the adjacentrows.

The upper and lower pins 431, 421 respectively have tapered ends. Thetapered ends of the lower pins 421 are connected respectively to thetapered ends of the upper pins 431 through a plurality of resilient necksections 46, as best illustrated in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 illustrates one ofthe neck sections 46 interconnecting the tapered ends of a pair of thelower and upper pins 421, 431.

During production of the air cushion 40, the bottom, top and peripheralwalls 42, 43, 44 are first preformed, after which air is introduced intothe air chamber 47 through the opening 45. The opening 45 is then sealedand trimmed after the air chamber 47 is filled with air, therebycompleting the formation of the air cushion 40.

Referring to FIG. 8, during use of the shoe sole 30, since the lower andupper pins 421, 431 are disposed in a substantially uniform manner onthe bottom and top walls 42, 43, and since the lower and upper pins 421,431 are arranged in a staggered configuration, the pressures on the soleof the wearer are evenly distributed. Further, because the lower andupper pins 421, 431 are interconnected, the bottom, top and peripheralwalls 42, 43, 44 do not bulge out when air is introduced into the airchamber 47. Furthermore, the holes 422, 432 in the bottom and top walls42, 43 can absorb part of any occurring volume expansion so that theouter surfaces of the bottom and top walls 42, 43 can be maintained in aflat and even state. A shoe pad 48 may be provided to cover the outersurface of the top wall 43 so as to enhance comfort during use of theshoe sole 30. Because the contact surface of the air cushion 40 is flat,injury to the wearer's foot does not occur, and, in fact, protection ofthe wearer's foot is achieved.

In this embodiment, the density of the lower pins 421 is substantially 3pins per square centimeter area of the bottom wall 42, and the densityof the upper pins 431 is substantially 3 pins per square centimeter areaof the top wall 43. However, the number of the pins 421, 431 may bevaried depending on the particular requirements of the shoe into whichthe shoe sole 30 is inserted.

Because of the configuration of the resilient neck sections 46, whichcan deform resiliently, the shoe sole 30 of the present invention canprovide a sufficient shock absorbing effect. Hence, the shoe sole 30 iscomfortable during use.

The second preferred embodiment of a shoe sole 30′ (see FIGS. 9 and 10)according to the present invention is similar to the first preferredembodiment. However, in this embodiment, the peripheral wall 44′ of theair cushion 40′ is transparent, and has two opposite transparentprotrusions 49′ that project outwardly from the peripheral wall 44′, asshown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The sole unit of the shoe sole 3′ further hastwo opposite elongated slots 32′ for receiving respectively theprotrusions 49′ therein so as to permit viewing of an inner structure ofthe air cushion 40′, thereby enhancing the outer appearance of a shoe.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A shoe sole air cushion comprising: a hollow main body defining anair chamber, and including a bottom wall, a top wall, and a peripheralwall connected between said bottom and top walls, said bottom wallincluding a plurality of lower pins projecting upwardly from an innersurface of said bottom wall, said top wall including a plurality ofupper pins projecting downwardly from an inner surface of said top wall,said upper and lower pins respectively having tapered ends, said taperedends of said upper pins being connected respectively to said taperedends of said lower pins.
 2. The shoe sole air cushion as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said bottom wall further includes a plurality of holesextending respectively into said lower pins from an outer surface ofsaid bottom wall, and said top wall further includes a plurality ofholes extending respectively into said upper pins from an outer surfaceof said top wall.
 3. The shoe sole air cushion as claimed in claim 1,wherein said main body further includes a plurality of resilient necksections, each of which interconnects one of said lower pins and one ofsaid upper pins.
 4. The shoe sole air cushion as claimed in claim 1,wherein the density of said upper or lower pins is substantially 3 pinsper square centimeter area of said top or bottom wall.
 5. The shoe soleair cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral wall istransparent, and has two opposite transparent protrusions which projectoutwardly from said peripheral wall.
 6. A shoe sole comprising: a soleunit having a cavity; and an air cushion disposed in said cavity, saidair cushion including a hollow main body defining an air chamber andhaving a bottom wall, a top wall, and a peripheral wall connectedbetween said bottom and top walls, said bottom wall including aplurality of lower pins projecting upwardly from an inner surface ofsaid bottom wall, said top wall including a plurality of upper pinsprojecting downwardly from an inner surface of said top wall, said upperand lower pins respectively having tapered ends, said tapered ends ofsaid upper pins being connected respectively to said tapered ends ofsaid lower pins.
 7. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 6, wherein saidbottom wall further includes a plurality of holes extending respectivelyinto said lower pins from an outer surface of said bottom wall, and saidtop wall further includes a plurality of holes extending respectivelyinto said upper pins from an outer surface of said top wall.
 8. The shoesole as claimed in claim 6, wherein said main body further includes aplurality of resilient neck sections, each of which interconnects one ofsaid lower pins and one of said upper pins.
 9. The shoe sole as claimedin claim 6, wherein the density of said upper or lower pins issubstantially 3 pins per square centimeter area of said top or bottomwall.
 10. The shoe sole as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheralwall is transparent, and has two opposite transparent protrusions whichproject outwardly from said peripheral wall.